Suction cup dart



Sept. 24, 1957 O. M. SWARTZ SUCTION CUP DART Filed Oct. 29, 1954INVENTOR ATTORNEYS United tes Pate...

SUCTION CUP DART Otto M. Swartz, Chicago, Ill.

Application October 29, 1954, Serial No. 465,485

2 Claims. (Cl. 273-1065) This invention relates to games whereinprojectiles in the form of darts are thrown by hand at a target.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a projectile or darthaving a sponge-like rubber body and a suction cup secured thereto whichsuction cup will, upon contact with the target, adhere by suction to thetarget, indicating a score in playing the game.

An important object of the invention is to provide a projectile whereinthe body portion thereof is mainly in the form of a weighted rubberball, to be thrown in the same manner as a baseball, the projectiledescending with a cushioned giro impact.

Another object of the invention is to provide a projectile which is soconstructed that the quills that are carried thereby to guide theprojectile are arranged at predetermined angles with respect to the ballor body, to cause the projectile to rotate as it is moving toward thetarget, lending a pleasing appearance to the projectile.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as thedescription proceeds, the invention consists of certain novel details ofconstruction and combinations of parts hereinafter more fully describedand pointed out in the claims, it being understood that changes may bemade in the construction and arrangement of parts without departing fromthe spirit of the invention as claimed.

Referring to the drawing,

Figure 1 is an elevational view of a projectile in the form of a dart,and constructed in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is a plan view thereof.

Figure 3 is a sectional view through the body and suction cup of theprojectile.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a sectional view showing a modified construction of theinvention.

Referring to the drawing in detail, the projectile comprises a body 5 inthe form of a ball, the body 5 being constructedpreferably of spongerubber and provided with a bore 6 of a depth substantially one-half ofthe diameter of the body, as better shown by Figure 3 of the drawing.

The reference character 7 indicates a suction cup which is provided witha hollow stem 8 that is fitted in the bore 6 uniting the hollow stem tothe body, by frictional contact therewith.

Before inserting the hollow stem 8 in .the bore 6, the hollow stem issupplied with an ample quantity of rubber cement. A lead weight 8 in theform of a cylindrical plug is forced into such hollow stem which causesa small amount of the rubber cement to be forced laterally from theinner end of the hollow stem. The inner end of g in position within theball body. The surface of said ice 2 plug is formed with an annularrecess 10-in which the rubber of the wall of bore 6 extends furtheranchoring the weight plug within the bore 6.

Three small holes 9 are drilled in the upper half of the body 5 to adepth even with the bottom of the bore 6, and at points inspacedrelation with respect to each other and adjacent .to the bore 6, asshown by Figure 4 of the drawing. I

The quills, which are indicated by the reference character 10 havetapered ends 11. The quills are forced into the holes 9, the quillsmoving easily into the holes 9, due to the fact that the holes 9 containa quantity of the cement which has been forced laterally from the hollowstem during the positioning of the suction cup within the bore of thebody 5.

In Figure 5 of the drawing I have illustrated a modified form of theinvention in which the rubber ball 15 is provided with a metalslug 16around which the rubber ball is molded, the slug 16 having internalthreads.

The stem of the suction cup 17 is provided with a metal sleeve 18 moldedinto the stem, the sleeve having external threads so that the stem maybe threaded into the slug 16, securing the suction cup to the ball 15.

It might be here stated that when the quills are inserted in the holes9, the feathered ends of the quills are forced slightly inward from theperpendicular line, with the tapered ends of the quills held solidlyagainst the hard rubber of the suction cup, tilting the quills andholding the quills in a slightly tilted position to cause the projectileto take a rotary movement when it is moving forwardly. The projectilewill also descend with a cushioned giro impact, because of this specificconstruction.

From the foregoing it will be seen that due to the construction shownand described, I have provided a projectile in the form of a dart whichis so constructed and arranged that the projectile may be thrown in thesame manner as a baseball, the quills maintaining the direction offlight of the projectile to insure accuracy.

The projectile is designed primarily for use in playing a game wherein atarget is provided at which the projectile is directed and to which theprojectile adheres when striking the target, thereby indicating a scorein the playing of the game.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

l. A projectile of the class described, comprising a body of ballconstruction formed of sponge rubber material, said body having a boreextending from the sur face of said body terminating centrally of saidbody, a suction cup having a hollow cylindrical stem extending from saidsuction cup embedded in said bore encasing said stern throughout theentire length thereof, said body engaging said cupat the point wheresaid stem merges with said body, a weight fitted in said cylindricalstem, said weight having a recess formed in the inner end thereof inwhich a portion of said rubber body is embedded, said weight having anannular recess formed intermediate the ends thereof, portions of saidhollow stem lying within said annular recess, anchoring said weightwithin said hollow cylindrical stem, and quills within the body oppositeto said suction cup.

2. A projectile of the class described, comprising a body of ballconstruction formed of sponge rubber, said body having a bore extendinginwardly from the surface of said body, a suction cup, a hollowcylindrical stem extending from said suction cup embedded in said bore,a weight filling said hollow cylindrical stem, means for securing saidweight within the stem and body, a plurality of quills having taperedends forced into said body from a point opposite to said suction cup,said tapered ends contacting said hollow cylindrical stem urging theFlanagan Feb. 8, 1927 Schoen, Sept. 2, 1930 4 Samsel July 18, 1933McNamara Oct. 1 1935 Booty Oct. 3, 1944 Jacke June 5, 1945 FOREIGNPATENTS Great Britain 1908

